Pipestone County Star

WINDOM — Pipestone Area Schools’ Amyra Mahik was driving through the lane in another taut game with Big South Conference rival Windom. Mahik decided it was her best choice passing out to the 3-point arc, with Jadyn Kor waiting on the wing. Kor spotted up and swished a 3-ball, giving the Arrows a 76-67 lead with 1:33 remaining in the second half. Emersyn Smidt and Mahik added three made foul shots as the Arrows recorded a 79-69 victory in “The Nest.” “Windom is always a very tough opponent,” PAS head coach Grant Everson explained, “and it is very hard to...

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MINNEOTA — For the Pipestone Area Schools’ wrestling team, a match versus powerhouse Minneota was needed. The Vikings, a member of Section 5A, came into last Thursday’s quadranglar having lost just one dual to Aberdeen, S.D. Minneota made it tough for PAS, and points were tough to come by. “Minneota is a top, quality team,” PAS head coach Paul Young said. “They prepared us for the competition we will see in our section. The boys will be ready to rock and roll.” The Section 3A team tournament begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, with a match versus Wabasso. The...

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MOORHEAD — On national signing day, Pipestone Area Schools’ football player Xavier Banjoko inked with Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Banjoko made it official during a special ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the PAS library in front of family and friends. “I chose them (MSU-Moorhead) because I felt like they were a real family,” Banjoko explained. “Their whole motto is family. I was on campus twice, and they constantly preached that. And I felt it while I was there.” Banjoko, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker, reported he will study criminal justice at MSU-Moorhead. For Banjoko, the road to Moorhead began with a...

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Temperatures are beginning to warm, so it’s easy to start thinking about the upcoming 2026 spring sports season. The spring sports drive and revive event, a program sponsored by the Pipestone Arrows Athletic Booster Club, is underway at SoJo’s Sportswear and Embroidery. The physical address is 115 W. Main Street in downtown Pipestone. Bring in gently used, like-new items from last year in the following sports: track and field, baseball and softball. Equipment examples are: track shoes, baseball and/or softball cleats, balls, bags, pants and helmets. Walk in anytime during SoJo’s business hours Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5...

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The Pipestone Area Schools winter cheerleading group performs at home boys and girls basketball games. Here’s the group. Front row (from left), Abbi Haack, Stephanie Arellano Campos and Valencia Murphy. Second row, Ericka Vivanco, Amelia Homandberg, Melanie Arellano Campos, Ashley Caso and Alexia Vivanco. Back row, Janasia Larkins, Violet Dougherty and Abby Ostermeier. Stephanie Arellano Campos and Ericka Vivanco are the senior leaders of the squad. Mariah Swanson serves as the advisor and coach.

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BENSON — Former Pipestone-Jasper High School wrestler Dustin Darveaux is set to be inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association David Bartelma Hall of Fame. The induction class features athletes Josh McLay, Werner Family and Darveaux plus coaches Joe Block, Robb Moser and Tom Youngblom, contributors Tom Lamphere, Kevin Jensen, Luverne “Tuffy” Hoard and Rich Pohlmeier. Minneapolis West High School’s Alan Rasmussen also is set for induction in the pioneer category. The dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 11 at McKinney’s on Southside in Benson, the physical location for the Hall. Darveaux was a state runner-up in 1996, and earned...

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REDWOOD FALLS — Pipestone Area Schools’ senior wrestler Joannacrystal Perez-Garcia has been a trailblazer. Perez-Garcia wrote her story on Saturday, Feb. 6, becoming the Arrows’ first-ever female state qualifier. “I am proud of my work because I reached a goal that I set for myself,” Perez-Garcia said to the Pipestone County Star in email form. Perez-Garcia navigated through a pressure-packed “true second” match in the 100-pound weight class by pinning St. James/Madelia’s Hazly Lopez at the 3-minute, 16-second mark. Perez-Garcia proudly stood on the podium, receiving her medal for placing second in the Section 3A tournament at Redwood Valley High...

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INFORMATION HIGH SCHOOLS Calendar Thursday, Feb. 12 Boys Basketball    7:15 p.m., Pipestone Area at Blue Earth Area 7:30 p.m., Estelline/Hendricks at Elkton-Lake Benton Girls Basketball    6 p.m., Pipestone Area at Blue Earth Area 7:15 p.m., Red Rock Central at Edgerton Public 7:15 p.m., Southwest Minnesota Christian at Adrian-Ellsworth 7:30 p.m., Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at Westbrook/Walnut Grove Wrestling 6:30 p.m., Section 3AA team tournament quarterfinals, Marshall vs. Hutchinson/Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart or Morris Area-Hancock-Chokio-Alberta, at Marshall High School 7 p.m., Section 3A team tournament quarterfinals, Wabasso versus Pipestone Area Schools, at higher seed Boys Hockey  7 p.m., New Ulm at Luverne, Blue Mound...

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There will be a public hearing on firearms use during deer season at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24. The event will take place in the Pipestone County Courthouse Commissioners Room. The event was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3; but, it was moved because of caucuses that day. The statewide shotgun zone was repealed as of Jan. 1, 2026. Effective that date, counties may adopt their own ordinances that restrict certain firearms during the deer hunting season. By March 1, 2026, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will notify counties of their option and provide model ordinance. Should the commissioners...

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MARSHALL — Even though this sports editor couldn’t be there in person, I sure was dadgum proud to see a special student-athlete reach the pinnacle Saturday. Sara Jones (neé Graf) was officially inducted into the Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics Hall of Honor. Jones was part of the stellar Class of 2026, a group of enshrinees that includes current San Jose State University men’s basketball coach Tim Miles, the 1972-73 SMSU men’s swimming and diving team along with participant Denny Dayhuff, softball player Amanda Tucci, Ryan Morse (baseball), Paul Litwicki (football) and contributors Dave Taylor, and wife, Diane Taylor. For...

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